Vol. 573 No. 4
258 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on genetically modified foods; the extent to which such foods are available here, whether labelled or unlabelled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25869/03]
The following genetically modified foods are authorised for sale on the Irish market: vegetable oil from oil seed rape; vegetable oil from cotton seed; maize products; and soya products.
Several EU regulations, including 258/97, 1139/98, 49/2000, 50/2000, govern the labelling of food products containing genetically modified organisms, GMOs. These have been updated by two new regulations, 1829/2003 and 1830/2003, which amend the current rules on the labelling of foods produced from GMOs to require labelling irrespective of whether DNA or protein of GM origin is present in the final product. Consequently, highly refined or processed food such as starch, sugar and oil products which may not have any residual DNA or protein will, nonetheless, require labelling if derived from GMOs. A traceability system will also be put in place to verify the origin of the food. Labels will have to indicate either "This product contains genetically modified organisms" or ". . . produced from genetically modified (name of organism)". Operators will have to comply with these new provisions on labelling from April 2004.
Trace levels of GMOs in conventional food and feed can and do arise during cultivation, harvest, transport and processing. This is not particular to GMOs but it can occur in the production of food, feed and seed with the result that it is very difficult to achieve products that are 100% pure. Against this background, the EU's objective is to ensure legal certainty and establish certain thresholds above which conventional food and feed have to be labelled as consisting of, or containing, or being produced from a GMO.
